Republican presidential candidate Ted Cruz has been in the news lately. His blunt attacks on the current administration and his own party have endeared him to many conservative voters and allied him with the controversial front runner Donald Trump. A recent Time magazine article nicely summarizes his campaign successes so far and provides a treasure trove of political metaphors. The article is by author Alex Altman entitled Right Turns Only: Ted Cruz’s Radical Plan to Win the White House in the September 7/14 double issue, pages 52 – 55. Online you can read the article here if you are a subscriber.

Altman’s description includes a variety of conceptual metaphors. In addition to the usual sports and military metaphors, I will highlight several interesting examples from agriculture, cooking, religion and vehicles. All quotations are from the article. Some examples are listed several times if they contain more than one metaphor. All metaphors are in italics, not in the original.

 

Agriculture

seed money

Seeds are used to grow vegetables in a garden or farm. Seeds, metaphorically, are the starting points of a project. Likewise, seed money is the cash or capital used to finance an expensive project.   In this example, the authors of the article are explaining how Ted Cruz’s campaign style has attracted big donors.

Example: “The pitch has attracted plenty of seed money–more than $50 million between his campaign and affiliated super PACs, a total that ranks second only to Jeb Bush’s.”

 

take root

Trees have roots that not only hold the tree into the ground but symbolize the beginnings of the tree’s growth. The concept of roots is commonly used metaphorically to mean the origin of something.

Example: “At 13, he enrolled in an after-school program designed to inculcate the merits of free-market economics. By then his obsession with the Constitution had taken root.”

swaths

Specific farming terms or techniques can also be used in politics. A swath is a wide portion of a land recently plowed or harvested. The term swath may also be used to describe a large group of voters.

Example: “Cruz’s plan is to corner the market for Tea Party conservatives and compete for swaths of the evangelical and libertarian vote.”

milk

Some farm animals such as dairy cows and goats are used to obtain their milk for human consumption. This process is known as milking. Metaphorically, if one takes advantage of a situation for a long period of time, this may also be known as milking. The author of the article, Alex Altman, describes Ted Cruz’s amazing childhood, having been raised in Canada by Cuban refugees who fled the Batista regime in the 1950s but implies that he talks about it too often to gain sympathy from his supporters.

 

Example: “Few politicians milk as much mileage from biography as Cruz.”

 

Cooking

cooked up

Cooking is a way of preparing food to eat. It is normally a long process that takes a large number of ingredients and the skill of the chef. Metaphorically, the concept of cooking has a negative connotation, in that one can create something that is not true by cooking it up.

Example: “In recent weeks alone, he has dismissed global warming as a fiction cooked up by government stooges…”

canned jokes

In the 1800s, people starting preserving food by putting in tightly sealed jars and tin cans. The so-called canned food was great for keeping food from spoiling, but canned food also earned a reputation for not having much taste and always tasting the same no matter how it was cooked. In popular terms, a speech or set of ideas can be described as being canned if they are not original or are not very exciting.

Example: “His stump speech, delivered without notes or teleprompter, is precisely honed, down to the canned jokes and the pauses for emphasis.”

sprinkles

Some desserts such as cookies or cupcakes often have colored sugar bits placed on top of the frosting. These small candies are called sprinkles because one must sprinkle them onto the surface from a small jar. Metaphorically, a person can sprinkle a public talk with various types of comments to add flavor or color to the speech.

Example: “He sprinkles his speeches with social cues–ain’ts and God-bless-yous and Chuck Norris jokes–that show the audience he’s one of them.”

skewer

Small pieces of meat can be cooked on a barbecue grill by putting all the pieces on a long thin metal rod called a skewer. The skewered meat can be cooked along with vegetables to make a wonderful meal. In popular terms, a person can be skewered by someone or a group of people by very strong criticism.

Example: “His taste for skewering his own party often surprises even those familiar with his scorched-earth style.”

 

Sports

race

A horse race involves people betting a lot of money on horses that they think can win. In a political campaign, people put a lot of money behind candidates whom they hope can win an election. Thus an election is often compared to a horse race.

Example: “The party has compressed the 2016 primary calendar into a few months in order to limit the damage the race inflicts on the eventual nominee.”

jockey

When the horses are running in a race, the jockeys (persons who ride the horses) must try to get in the best position possible so that they can win the race. Of course, every jockey wants to be on the inside track so they must fight to get where they want to be. This is called jockeying for position. In politics, we may also say that candidates must jockey for position to gain the best advantage and win the election.

Example: “So while rivals jockeyed for scraps of territory in Iowa and New Hampshire, Cruz barnstormed the nation’s reddest precincts in a bus with Right turns only plastered above the bumper.”

up for grabs

In basketball, the game begins by the referee throwing the ball straight up in the air. This is called the toss up. The player who can reach and control the ball after the toss up will win the ball for his or her team. In common terms, any competition or election that might be one by any player or team may be called a toss up or up for grabs.

Example: “Seven Southern states with about a third of the delegates needed to win the nomination are likely to be up for grabs on March 1, a Super Tuesday bonanza Cruz calls the SEC primary.”

victory lap

In car racing, the winning car will often take one more lap around the track so that the fans can cheer for the winner. The same is true of track and field runners. This lap is called the victory lap. In metaphorical terms, a person in business or politics who celebrates after a big win may be described as taking a victory lap.

Example: “Big crowds greeted him like a gridiron legend. But this was no victory lap. The Texas Senator has a new Southern strategy. Seven Southern states with about a third of the delegates needed to win the nomination are likely to be up for grabs on March 1, a Super Tuesday bonanza Cruz calls the SEC primary.”

turbocharge

The power of a normal engine can be greatly increased with the addition of a device called a turbocharger. Metaphorically, any significant increase in energy, money or progress may be referred to as turbocharging.

Example: “The first presidential debate had boosted his poll numbers and turbocharged his fundraising.”

muscle

Athletes need strong, muscular bodies to compete at the collegiate or professional level. Having muscle implies that one is strong and ready for competition. In politics, a person or group with muscle means that they are ready for a political battle.

Example: “Cruz boasts that he is the rare true conservative with the fundraising firepower and organizational muscle to slug it out with the GOP’s Establishment favorites through a grinding national campaign.”

throw a Hail Mary

In football, when a team is losing and has one last chance to win or tie the game, the quarterback may throw a long pass into the end zone hoping one of his receivers can catch it. The success of such a pass is so unlikely, people joke that you need to say a catholic Hail Mary prayer to have any chance of succeeding. Thus, throwing this type of pass is known as throwing a Hail Mary. In business or politics, trying to do something that is very unlikely to succeed is also known as a Hail Mary.

Example: “’It is unlikely to be possible for a candidate to do what some candidates in previous decades have done,’ Cruz explains, ‘which is go camp out in an early state, spend a year there, throw a Hail Mary and get enough momentum to win the nomination.’”

 

Religion

true believers

People who are completely faithful to their religion may be called true believers. In politics, the same phrase may be used to describe those who have complete faith in a political leader or certain political ideologies.

Example: “Cruz is convinced there are enough true believers to push a proven warrior into the White House.”

party faithful

In a specific metaphorical use of the concept of faith, we say that members of a political party are faithful to that party and will always vote for candidates and policies presented by that party.

Example: “When he preaches to the party faithful, Cruz ditches the lectern and roams the stage, carving up his targets in tightly constructed paragraphs.”

pilgrimage

In some religions, people take long journeys to go to the birthplace of their faith or to see a beloved religious leader. This type of journey is called a pilgrimage. In politics, journeys by people to see their favorite politician may also be called a pilgrimage.

Example: “The southeast is a strange place for a political pilgrimage.”

 

Journey/vehicles

right turns only

Our sense of what is left, right and center is derived from the orientation to our own bodies, e.g., left hand, right leg, etc. Historically, in politics, left indicated liberal and right indicated conservative. This usage dates to the French National Assembly in 1789 when the more conservative politicians sat to the right side of the president’s chair, while the liberal thinkers sat on the left. We still use these terms today. Interestingly, we have extended the meaning of left and right to turning directions while driving a vehicle, making a left turn indicates that one is becoming more liberal while making a right turn means becoming more conservative. Ted Cruz has capitalized on this metaphorical usage and uses a slogan of right turns only for his supporters.

Example: “So while rivals jockeyed for scraps of territory in Iowa and New Hampshire, Cruz barnstormed the nation’s reddest precincts in a bus with Right turns only plastered above the bumper.”

barnstorm

In the early 1800s, theatrical troupes put on plays in barns for local communities. This was known as barnstorming. The term took on a new meaning in the early 1900s when pilots with newly invented airplanes crisscrossed the country putting on air shows for small communities. In politics, candidates who visit all parts of the country giving campaign speeches may also be described as barnstorming.

Example: “So while rivals jockeyed for scraps of territory in Iowa and New Hampshire, Cruz barnstormed the nation’s reddest precincts in a bus with Right turns only plastered above the bumper.”

drive

The word drive has many meanings. In the context of vehicles, to drive means to operate a vehicle. Figuratively, any action to move a process forward may also be known as driving.

Example: “Instead of softening his rhetoric, he believes a pure conservative message can drive millions of disaffected white and evangelical voters back to the polls.”

 

Military

warrior

A military soldier is often called a warrior, i.e., one who goes to war. In politics, a person who fights for his or her principles in campaigns may also be called a warrior.

Example: “Cruz is convinced there are enough true believers to push a proven warrior into the White House.”

rank and file

Large groups of soldiers can be arranged in horizontal rows called ranks, and vertical columns called files. Commanding officers are not arranged in such ways. Thus, the rank and file soldiers are the hardworking soldiers who are not in high positions. Metaphorically, ordinary people in business and politics may be referred to as the rank and file if they loyally support their business leaders and politicians.

Example: “The reinvention prompts some Republicans to suggest the party-crasher routine is an act Cruz created as he watched the GOP rank and file lurch to the right during the early years of the Obama presidency.”

stand up and fight, lead the fight

In boxing and the military, strong boxers or soldiers must stand up and fight dangerous battles. Metaphorically, politicians also stand up and fight for their principles in campaigns, in Congress or in the presidency. Those in leadership roles may also be described as leading the fight. Ordinary citizens may also be described as standing up and fighting for their rights as well.

Example: “’Voters should ask every candidate, Show me where you’ve stood up and fought,’ Cruz explains, digging into a double cheeseburger with jalapeños at a Whataburger outside Houston.”

Example: “’What I ask activists to do is to pick the 10 or 12 most important fights of the last several years,’ Cruz says as his SUV wheels toward another book signing in Texas. On every big conservative battle, he says, from Obamacare to government spending to religious liberty, I’ve been leading the fight.’”

command an army

Military leaders are often called commanders who control their armies. Metaphorically, a politician may also be described as someone who is commanding the army of his or her supporters.

Example: “Cruz is a constitutional scholar who commands a populist army, a careful tactician who picks long-shot fights.”

battle grounds

The land where battles are fought are called battlegrounds. In politics, states in which voters may vote for either Democrats or Republicans are called battleground states when candidates fight for the votes for their party.

Example: “But if the 2016 battle is waged on those grounds, it may favor the fighter who only turns right.”

firepower

A gun, rifle, or cannon can be described in terms of its explosive power depending on the amount of gunpowder used in its bullets or shells. This is also called firepower. Metaphorically, the ability to raise money or win elections in politics may be called firepower.

Example: “Cruz boasts that he is the rare true conservative with the fundraising firepower and organizational muscle to slug it out with the GOP’s Establishment favorites through a grinding national campaign.”

target

With guns as well as bows and arrows, people practice shooting their weapons by aiming at a target a long distance away. The literal target has been changed to mean a metaphorical goal in a process or project. In politics, candidates and elected officials try to please their constituents who may vote for them.   These voters may be referred to as the target audience.

Example: “The goal is to determine their target audience and feed each segment a message calibrated to sway them.”

long-shot fights, long-shot bid

To shoot at a target far away is called taking a long shot. The farther away the target, the less likely the person can accurately hit it. In common terms, a long shot is something that has a very low likelihood of happening. In politics, a long shot is a person who is not likely to win an election or an event that is not likely to happen. In the following examples, we see uses of long-shot fights and long-shot bids.

Example: “Cruz is a constitutional scholar who commands a populist army, a careful tactician who picks long-shot fights.”

Example: “But when Cruz launched a long-shot bid for the U.S. Senate in 2012, he campaigned as a self-styled insurgent.”

scorched earth

In some military operations, an army will burn all of the land belonging to an enemy so that it is unusable. This strategy is known as a scorched earth policy. Metaphorically, criticism of an adversary that is done in a quick and brutal fashion may be described as a scorched earth policy or style.

Example: “His taste for skewering his own party often surprises even those familiar with his scorched-earth style.”

badge of honor

Military personnel who demonstrate extraordinary bravery in battle are often awarded medals or badges of honor for their heroism. In popular terms, any a person who is known for brave acts may be considered as someone metaphorically wearing a badge of honor.

Example: “From the time he arrived in the Senate in 2013, Cruz grasped that pariah status in Washington can be a powerful weapon, so he wears his colleagues’ contempt as a badge of honor.”

fighting trench warfare

During World War I, soldiers had to dig deep ditches or trenches to protect themselves from enemy attacks. This type of fighting wars was called fighting in the trenches. Metaphorically, politicians involved in complex negotiations or arguments may be described as fighting in the trenches or fighting trench warfare.

Example: “It’s entirely possible that one person wins Iowa, a different person wins New Hampshire, and a third wins South Carolina,” Cruz says. “Which means then you’re fighting trench warfare nationwide.”

dig in

The action of creating a trench for protection in a battle is sometimes known as digging in. Metaphorically, taking a firm stand on an issue and not budging from one’s position may also be known as digging in.

Example: “But with so many hopefuls like Cruz raising so much early money, the prospects of a costly, drawn-out fight are now very real. And Cruz is digging in for the long haul.”

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            As I have mentioned many times in this space, I am always amazed that ordinary conversation and writing are filled with conceptual metaphors. Even a brief article (2300 words) by my count contains about 80 different metaphors.   I have only analyzed a portion of them here. While it is common to compare elections to sports competitions or wars, it is fascinating that we have metaphors based on cooking, farming or journeys as well. It is more evidence to support the theories of Lakoff and Johnson who have argued for years that metaphorically thinking is part of normal cognition. Comments and questions are always welcome!